Fort Drum Employee Injured In Accident
October 17, 2017
A Fort Drum employee was injured after an electrical panel apparently caught fire.
Post officials a maintenance mechanic was working near a circuit panel around 8 a.m. Tuesday when it is believed to have caught fire.
The panel is near the AAFES Exchange loading docks. AAFES (Army and Air Force Exchange Service) handles retail operations on military bases worldwide.
Fort Drum emergency services responded and provided initial medical aid. The victim was evacuated to Syracuse via LifeNet for further evaluation and care.
The Exchange is closed to the public.
Fort Drum
Fort Drum, located just six miles North of Watertown, New York, is the home of the 10th Mountain Division, a light infantry force that is highly mobile and frequently deployed to areas around the world. World class training facilities include upgraded ranges and a redesigned and expanded Wheeler-Sack Army Airfield, complete with a new deployment staging facility.
The Fort Drum Exchange mission is to provide superior service to authorized customers, contributing to the installations quality of life initiatives through community events and contributions to the Fort Drum IMWRF. The Exchange activities include the Exchange complex, concessions and Exchange Restaurants area (, Subway, Manchu Wok, and Charley's Grilled Subs), a world class Military Clothing Store, Class Six, two Burger King's, Jack T. Sweet Complex ( Subway, Domino's and a troop store), Popeye's and four Expresses with gas.
With the recent additions Drum's troop population has greatly increased, which has led the Exchange to embark on a 'master planning' project that constructed the new Exchange and mall. There are additional upgrades that will be taking place, Starbucks, Boston Market, and Qdoba Mexican Grill, in late 2016 followed by an entirely new Express with gas, restaurant and barber, located on Ontario Ave, scheduled for late 2018 .
Fort Drum Exchange is also responsible for the remote site exchanges at Niagara AFS, Hancock Field ANG, in Syracuse, New York, Rome Labs/Griffiss AFB, in Rome, New York, Watervliet Arsenal located near Albany New york. There is also an impress fund site at Northbay, Ontario, Canada.================
FORT DRUM, NY — A worker at Fort Drum was airlifted to a Syracuse hospital for treatment after a fire Tuesday near the post’s AAFES exchange, post officials said.
The incident took place around 8 a.m., as the unnamed maintenance mechanic from the post’s Department of Public Works worked in the vicinity of a circuit panel near the loading docks of the store.
At that time, it is believed the panel caught fire and injured the mechanic.
Fort Drum emergency services initially responded to the scene and provided initial treatment, the post’s public affairs office said.
The worker was then taken by LifeNet helicopter to a Syracuse hospital.
Post spokeswoman Julie Halpin said on Tuesday afternoon that she would not be able to provide further updates about the worker’s condition.
The incident will be reviewed by the Fort Drum Fire Department, she said.
George Ottinger, president of the National Association of Government Employees Local R2-61, of which the injured worker was a member, told the Times that he was still waiting for more information about the incident.
“We’re worried about him,” he said. “We want to make sure we can do all we can to make sure he’s taken care of.”
The Exchange was closed for hours following the incident, but was mostly reopened on Tuesday afternoon.